Coin-detecting vending machine



Sept. 25, 1928.

5 1,685,550 J. H. MANN. JR

COIN DETECTING VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1924 s Shets-Sheet 1 Sept. 25, 1928.

. 1,685,550 J. H. MANN. JR

COIN DETECTING VENDINGMACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 if Eki 37 l- -c I12 l f o Sept. 25, 1928.

1,685,550 J. H. MANN, JR

COIN DETECTING VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 I G "/7 d4. 7'2; .6

Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,550

J. H. MANN, JR

COIN DETECTING VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 7. &7 J O f/h O I /r 0 @45 O a? W Mr W Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685550 J. H. MANN, JR

COIN DETECTING VENDING MACHINE Filed F sh. 27, 1924 s Sheets-Sheet s 1 I if I 5.41 g 70.

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J. MANN. JR COINbETECTING VENDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 27, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 f at: a

gmwm f W Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES H. MANN, JR, OF MONT EAGLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR To soU'rHwE's'rEnfi SALES CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

COIN-DETECTING MACHINE.

Application filed February 27, 1924. Serial No. 695.485.

This invention relates to vending machines, and more particularly those employing eliminating devicestor the. rejection of spurious coins or the like to operate the same.

A vending machine to perform its function properly should not only be dependably operable when a. standard coin or the like is inserted, but should in addition perform two other functions. The one such function should be to detect and eliminate all spurious coins and tokens. etc. The second such function should be that such detection or elimination should leave the machine in a condition for operation with subsequent introduction 01 a standard coin or the like. The latter two features constitute important improven'lents in the art attainable by means of the present invention.

Again it known that other means of illegal operation are possible. Methodsito avoid such action have been disclosed in my prior Unite-:1? States Patent I, .l08,112, in connection with which, the present application is to be considered as tornring a continuing improvement. However, certain modifications ha ve been necessary by virtue of the non-jamming action now introduced working in conun tion with the novel spurious-coin detector cl'imii-iator and. segregator. Again, in devices oi the above kind it is of considerable importance that the more or less intricate working parts should be easily and separately replaceable To this end therefore, starting with the casing, a removable back or mounting plate provided so that practically the entire device is removable from said back plate a iter releasing the locking mechanism. The back or mounting plateonly is affixed to a w all or the like, by means of screws, which screws accme hidden and out of reach when assembled on the plate for northe casin mal working.

In addit on thereto an important feature colnpri. .s the locking cover which demountasle and easily removable. This is importantfor the art described, since if an attempt has been made to tamper with the mm. or the indirect locking means tor the no controlled thereby, it requires simple e'llort tor the attending inspector to re place the lock by a suitable interchange with out disturb n the rest of the mechanism. It -il be di bed hereafter how the casing and back plate are so arranged that tamperct or hooking lug occurs at the top of the slide for opening or closing such coin chamber. Thus in attempting to pry open the cover or top, the slide or door control is not affected thereby immediately. The entire cover needs to be removed before the control becomes visible and Operable. Nevertheless, with the cover otl it becomes possible entirely to remove the slide, for it not only is arrangedto function as a coin chamber control, but is also arranged to displace a locking latch that is norn'lally operated when the merchandise is depleted. This latch locks the coin control delivery mechanism in such a? position that the entering slots for the coins, or the like, no longer become possible. In this Way the public does not become defrauded. To replenish the merchandise magazine therefore, not only mustthe merchandise delivery tray be unlocked and brought back to normal position, but the coin slot control must also be allowed to go back to normal. Thus attending inspector on removing the cover must first hit up the slide to uncover the coin chamber. but thereafter on returning the slide to its orig-inalposition, mechanism on the slide automatical y releases the lock referred to and the magazine can then be filled with the required merchandise. It should be borne in mind that sometimes an attempt may be made to bend or displace that portion of the slide covering the opening to the coin chamber Then again the lock removing mechanism on the slide may become weak calling for a replacement of the slide control. By means of the present invention this becomes possible v. 'thout necessarily having to take away the entire device for overhaul. In the same general manner it will be found that all the more important and intermediate mechanisms making up the device are arranged to be replaceable, and easily demountable practically Without any tools being required.

The present disclosed type of coin conmechanism it is particularly advisable to control thecoin entering slot oi the device so that during elimination the slot becomes closed to further introduction of coins or the like, till the chute or merchandise delivery mechanisms are cleared. In this way the purchaser aswell as the machine itself is safeguarded. This important result is attained by having the actuator bar (intro duced for the delivery of the merchandise after the proper coin or token has been in sorted) articulating with the eliminator mechanism and with the coin slot closing shutter. -Since the actuator bar operates a dog and ratchet holding device through articulation therewith, once the delivery tray is tilted at all the actuator bar and therefore the coin-shutter, etc, is forced to continued one-way action, thus giving the necessary sate-guarding assurance. A considerable change has therefore been necessary to attain the new and in'iportant function 01 the device; thus both during elimination and delivery of merchandise the slot shutter is operated. Should, however, the merchandise be exhaust-ed then it will be found that not only does'the eliminator remain locked in its operative position, but the coin shutter is also closed. lhis type of operation is of importance when an attempt is made to operate the mechanism with the introduction of two coins (niclrels for example) before the actuator bar is pushed upwardly. Should this transpire and only one piece of merchandise be available in the machine, not only will the device become locked, by virtue of the elimination device being in operating position but the added coin and the merchandise will both be delivered at one and the same time.

In order to emphasize the above objects, and more clearly to bring out the advantages accruing from the invention, the following drawings are attached and made .part of the specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the casing. Fig. 2 illustrates a rear view of Figure 1.. Fig. 8 corresponds to Figure 2 with back or mounting plate removed to show cmistruction'of casing. I Fig. l is a front view of the frame with slider plate removed.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of Figure 4;. Fig. 6 illustrates a front assembly view of the frame structure.

.Fig. 7' is a rear view of Figure 6. r

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the movable plate.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate front and rear views of the back or mounting plate.

Fig. 11 is an edge view or the slider plate employed. I

Fi 12 is a perspective view of the coin chamber partitioning means. 7

Figs. 13 and liillustrate bottom views of the cover plate in locked and unlocked positions. I I

Figures l5 and 16 are edge views of Fig ures 13 and 1-1.

Fig. 17 a detail perspective View of the bolt plate. I

Fig. 18 discloses an elevation of the magazine.

Fig. 19 is a bottom view of Figure 18;

Fig. 20 gives a plan view of the structure with cover removed.

. F 2lillustrates the construction of the coin chamber slider control.

Fig. illustrates the construction of the actuator bolt.

Fig. 23 is a back view of the slide plate.

Figs. 2i and 25 give detail views of the ratchet sector employed.

Figure 26 a fragmental deteil'section taken on the line 26*26 oi Figure 6;

Figures 27 and 28 are respectively side elevations of Figure 6 showing the movable plate in closed and open positions.

It will be seen that within the casing 1 there is preferably inserted an easily removable frame 2 held in place by means of a removable magazine 3 fitting against the upper portion of the frame and the supporting ears l for a merchandise delivery tray 5. The lower portion of the frame 2 rests upon a coin chamber partitioning means 6 which latter is first inserted in the casing l and terms at the bottom of the casing both a spurious coin or token delivery opening 7, as well as a coin chamber having a coin collecting slot 8 on the lower side or the casing; Cooperating with the side of the frame 2 opposite to the magazine is a demountable moimting plate 9 which not only closes the back wall of the casing but is a means for readily attaching the casing with its merchandise and frame,etc., to a wall or the like, upon which the mounting plate is to be secured. The mounting plate is secured upon its mounting by screws passing through holes 10 which screws are covered by the attached casing.

Tlleflitlfl has a central channel 11 communicating with a'dian'ieter detecting chute 12-12, one for each side of the frame. A

7 cover piece 18 properly machined to size is 'llii d'iaiiieter standard for the coins or tokens is set. Should the specimen inserted at the ends of the slots 12, which slightly flare outwardly, (matching with the coin introducing slots 18 of the casing) he delicient in size the top edge of the coins will fall outwardly forcibly so t-h'at without the movable plate being finally drawn away from the frame 2 such spuriousspecimen' will fall out outside the frame and movable plate, to be delivered through the opening at the back of the delivery shelf 19 forming a bottom wall of the casing. c

v The actuation of the movable plate is brought aboutby the motion of a cam plate or slide ZUemliracing the front or magazine side of the frame. Such slide is provided with a tooth 21 passing through an actuator bar 22 and the slotted frame 2. and isv locked to such bar by means of the loop end of a spring QS'whOs'e other end is attached to the frame as a't By means of the slot 25 the cam plate is moved upwardly and downwardly in such'manner that wedges 26 pass under the movable plate 16 and so cause the latter toosc illate b v virtue of the fingers 27 and 28 of the movable plate slidably entering the appropriate slots 29 and 30 of the frame.

It will be noticed that additional openings 31and occur in the frame plate, which latteract' as slots forfingers 33, 3e integral with the cam plate or slide. Their function is to dislodge any irregularlv shaped: token entering the slots 1 2and1l'iecoming wedged in place and thereby choking the channels and precluding further functioning; To avoid the'latter contingency on moving the actuator bar 22 upwardly it: necessarily causes the wedge-shaped fingersto engage with such token and force the latter toward the delivery opening T as" the movable pla'te being actua tfed. TlIG IDOVEIblG lips 17 of the movable plate aid in this action. I p

The chute 11 normally leads to the stand ard coin segregating chute leading to the coin actuated merchandise delivery mechanism. Part of the latterhas already been described in myprevious United States Patent 1,408,112. There is therefore no need for going into great particulars regarding the same. Suflice to say that a novel tray catch 36 is providech'freely pivoted in the wallof the frame 2, in such a. way that the knurled shank 3'17 of the catch extends entirely through the frame. in orderthata milled leaf spring 38 on the coin-box shutter-control (Fig. 21)

39 may engage with such knurled shank to actuate the catch when the last package of merchandise has been vended and the tray 5 of a rotatable lever plate 42. The boss l1 is made part of a toothed sector meshing with rack teeth 44 on the actuator bar 22. Thus as theactuator bar is moved upwardly the standard coin forms the necessary me chanical link for causing the lever plate to rotate andwith it the tray 5, by virtue of en meshing elements at one end of the tray structure. Suchstructure carries integrally therewith a mutilated gear plate ltl meshing with coact ing radially arranged ots l7 of a one-wa i retaining ratchetplate 4S, heldbv ambveiiicnt completing pawl {23, spring pivoted on the fram'eQ'. T bus as the ratchet plateorsectorl moves cormter-clockwise (when viewed from 'thefront of the frame structure) it is auto matica'lly held in its advanced p'osit'ionctill 'the complete movement is' accomplished",

when the sector rides past the one face of the pawl to allow the latter to swing out of locking Qction' and tlierelrv the sector 48 is enabled completely to return The forward motion of the sector 48is caused, upon the; insertion of a proper coin, by the edge 52 of the rotatable lever plate 42 starting the sector lS through pressure on lug 50. l%f()\ve\"cr, as soon sector 48 has advanced enough so that movement completing pawl 49 has en gagcd one-way reta'ining ratchet plate 48 the coin falls into the coin receptacle and rotatable lever plate 12 returns to its normal position, due to spring action,- and exerts no further influence during the operation. The sector 48,.however. 'n'ow partially rotated but held against backward movement by pawl 4-9. downward extended lug Y of the sector 48 has been'thrown'. due to the movement just dcscri'bed', into the path of edge X of the actuator Then upon further movement or completion of the stroke of actuator 29 edge X will strike and force lug Y of sector 48 through its entire movement thus completing the forward operation after which the entire mechanism will be allowed to return to its normal or operating position. I i

It then on coin actuation the ratchet sectorlS ca ses the tray 5 to rotate; should the last piece of merchandise be vended, the catch 36' will fall and drop behind the back 53 of the tray and it will require the lifting and re turn of the shutter control 39 with its leaf spring 38 to bring the catch into upright position so that the magazine may be filled and the device put into normal operation again.

Alone the chute ll other spurious coin and token devices are arranged. Thus it is possible to employ slugs that shall have the (ll2ll1'ltter of the standard coin (which latter in this case may be a nickel). Should a steel blank be employed then by virtue of gr nagnet 53 mounted on the movable plate ah'tl opposite the chute 11 such magnetic material will be attracted to'one side and preferably held in place till the movable plate is forced to act, when the magnetic material will be tutomen at a curve 5'? of the chute.

niatically discharged and eliminated as hereinafter setforth. To direct the blank toward the magnet a boss 54. is introduced into the channel 11. On the other hand as soon as the movable plate is actuated extensions on the back plate, passing between the legs of the magnet, disengage the specimen from the surfaces of the magnet by virtue of the movable plate simultaneously approaching the back plate at the time that it recedes from the frame 2.

In addition to the above there is also cm ployed an under weight detecting device arranged in the path of the same channel. This comprises a weighted bell crank lever 56 having its one end in the path of the chute 11 and so placed as to tend to arrest a spurious speci- Thus with operation of the slide 20, the lever 56 is tilted by contact of the offset 59 with the arm and the arrested insert released. The movable plate is tilted at an angle and the walls of the channel comprising chute ll and chute 35 will be spread or separated to such an extent that the arrested insert will be dislodged from the point of the lever 56, and thus bypassed out of thepath of the segregating chute In some instances as with oblong slugs or the like it is possible for the speci-.

men to become lodged between the n'oject- 'ing end of the bell crank lever and the curve of the chute 57. For continued operation of the vending device the bell crank lever 56 is provided with a projection 58 which is normally in the path of the slide 20 so that by virtue of an offset 59 the weighted arm 60 will be raised and thereby draw the projecting end into a releasing position and ready for a further contingency. It is to be remembered that such release here referred to cannot take place normally till the movable plate is oper-- ated by the actuator bar 22.

In the construction of the movable plate note needs to be made of a bevelled deflecting extension 61 which aids in directing the fall of short diamete-red specimens from the path of chute 12. In addition to the above the plate carries a revolubly mounted spearing device 62 having its head 63v extending through the surface of the plate and slightly into the path of the central channel or chute 11. The obj ect of the device is'to catch perforatedspecL,

mans such as washers or the like whether made of iron or lead, etc.

Itis a feature of such weighted fingering device that once a perforation is struck the head 63 of the finger tends more and more to enter into the perforation by virtue of the weight of the specimen itself. Should it transpire that such a perforated slug has been fed to the machine, it will be caught by the spearing device and only released with the actuation of the movable plate as a whole. The revolubly mounted head 63 will then be moved upwardly by the device'62 contacting with the mounting plate so as to release the speared specimen and then allow the same to fall outside of'the chute 11 to be delivered up to the opening 7 at the bottom of the casing. V

In the construction of the back plate attention is also directed to the novel type of interweaving locking device provided for. It will be observed that offset lugs 64- and 65 occur on the back plate for engaging under the upper surfaces 66, 67 of the back of the casing. In addition a movable offset lug 68 integral with a sliding bolt 69 occurs to engage with the same upper surface 66 on the one side of the casing. On the other hand an abutment 69 is made integral with the back plate for permitting the one end of the locking bolt -to fasten itself between the top of the slotted member at 66 and abutment 69 on the back plate. he lower end of the back plate has aparallel offset 70 that also fits under the upper edge 71 of the lower portion of the'back It thus becomes clear that with the insertion of the back plate in the manner indicated and with the bolt69 shifted into place that the housing structure of the casing becomes locked as a unit. The sliding movement of the back plate for dismemberment only becomes possible with the withdrawal of the bolt 69 by means of the finger piece 72 integral therewith. The upper portion of said bolt is preferably arranged with a pin extension or the like 73 working in a slot 74 of the lip 75 forming an offset to the plate 9. Similarly there is preferably formed a lip 76 and an offset lug 7 7 for the better guidance of the bolt 69. I

In the assembly of the device there is first introduced at the portion of the casing the coin chamber partitioning member 6 having a perforated rib 78 made integral therewith for the guidance of an operating bolt 79 whose end 80 is grooved to engage with the slot 81 of the bar 22. Thereafter the shutter slide 39 for the coin chamber and carrying its leaf spring, is inserted by means ofthe bent over end 82 of the same, which latter should be flush with the top of the casing. The frame assembly is then made which includes the movable plate and slide and introduced into theoasing, proper spacing with the latter being effected by subsequent introduction of the merchandise magazine The back plate can be put on and the finger piece 72 pushed into position for locking the casing l'iousing as a whole. In this condition the lock cover is to be attached and the machine made ready for use. However it isby no means desirable in devices of the present kind 'to'employ any type of lock. The .possibilities'and incitement for tampering are solarge and'the attendants charges so great that it is equally important for commercial success that the number of steps employed to make ready be reduced to an absolute minimum.

To the above, end the locking cover is made up in such a manner that proper covering cannot be effected without the two main coverings are properly in place. The latter are respectively the coin shutter slide and the mounting plate when properly locked into place. Vith the second step the locking on the cover per se is produced only intermediately by means of a spring bolt in the key controlled lock.

Turning therefore to the locking cover it will be seen that two lugs ,or catches 83 and 84 are provided for engaging respectively with an offset 85 on the casing on the one hand, and an offset 75 on the back plate on the other hand. It is the right hand end of the back plate that is to be engaged at this time. However, the lug 84 cannot enter into place without the finger piece 72 being pushed home into bolt locking position with respect to the casing proper. Thus the attendant is automatically reminded that proper inspection and replacement has not been made. Secondly, on attempting to put the cover further into place the attendant will be encountered with the telltale of obstruction 82- in the way, should it transpire that the shutter slide to the coin chamber has not operated efi'ectively to close the same. lVith everything in order therefore the cover will fit on and the intermediate locking plate 86 be enabled to come under the lugs 87 on the casing and 69 on the back plate and so give adequate locking protection to the casing housing as a whole.

The intermediate locking plate 86 has at one end a lug 88 which is arranged to hold the lock spring bolt'89 in retarded. position, when the locking plate is withdrawn by the spring 90 from its locking position under the lugs 87 and 88. The latter is the normal unlocked position of the locking cover and is indicated by means of a teat 91 extending through the cover plate by virtue of a slot 92 therefor. Thus when all is assembled and the proper shutter and back plate adjustments have been made it is possible not only to replace the cover fittingly upon the casing housing but in addition thereto, by means of the teat 91 outside of the cover, to slide the bolt plate into locking position with the lugs 87 and 88 permitting the spring bolt 89 of the spring lock to snap into plate and effectively lock the intermediate locking bolt plate into position with respect to the casing wall, the back plate and the shutter slide, etc. On unlocking the spring lock by means of an appropriate key entering into the keyway 93 the spring 90 automatically withdraws the bolt plate 86 and the contents can be examined whether for replenishment of the magazine 3 or obtaining the coins collected at the bottom of the device or for repair, etc.

In operation on inserting a coin in the slots 18 the detecting devices are automatically operated and with the movement of the actuator bolt 79 the movable plate allows the spurious coins to drop directly toward the delivery opening 7. In case a plurality of magnetic slugs are deposited before the bolt 79 is pressed upwardly for the delivery of the merchandise it will be found that the boss 54 does not permit of one token to pass by the other held by themagnet in its attraction. Thus on pressing the bolt 79 upwardly the movable plate causes an immediate evacuation of all spurious tokens together with possible delivery of merchandise it the proper standard coin should happen to enter the coin controlled delivery tray mechanism. Should the actuator bar be held up in its path for one reason or another the slots 18 for the coin inserts become automatically covered up by means of wings or shutters 94 and 95 formed on each side of the slider so that the public as well as the device is adequately safeguarded.

Having thus described the nature of invention what I claim is:

In combination, a frame, a coin-completing mechanical drive, a coin detecting chute formed in the wall of the frame, and an oscillating plate, means to arrest spurious inserts in said chute, and means to dislodge and by-pass said arrested inserts from said chute and away from the coin completing mechanical drive comprising a sliding plate having bevelled flanges and an offset thereon, said flanges operating the oscillating plate to spread it away from the adjacent wall at an angle thereto and said offset operating the arresting means to dislodge the arrested insert, and means to actuate said plate and to restore it to normal position. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES H. MANN, JR. 

